The PDSA shop - which is known for selling things like clothes, books and decorative objects to help raise money for free veterinary services - has been recently been ruined by fire.
More than 30 firefighters spent an hour fighting the flames of the shop that was entirely engulfed in flames. This event occurred on Friday 29th March 2013 at the PDSA shop which was on Cranbrook Road, Ilford. Smoke was said to have eventually risen to the flats above. Firefighters were called to the shop at just after 1.30pm and spent about an hour trying to bring the fire under control.
Two people living in a flat above were escorted out by firefighters and it is said that no one required medical treatment. Customers too were evacuated through the front of the shop, with staff having left through a back exit. A staff member then locked the door to stop anyone walking in as the fire began to really take its toll. The fire fortunately did not spread to the flats above, but they have been damaged by smoke.
No other shops were needed to be evacuated as the fire did not spread to the shops either side. The businesses next to the PDSA shop were not open at the time of the blaze so again, no one was in possible chance of being harmed. A section of Cranbrook Road was closed off for a while, which caused delays and meant that buses were forced to divert and take other routes. The cause of the fire however is still under investigation.
Sarah Ajrullah
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